27 May 2024 18:03:36
Been reading about Enzo Maresca and the contribution he made at Man City as a coach during their treble winning season. Quite a reputation and highly regarded by players and staff. To then go and take Leicester to the title in a very hard league to get out of at the first attempt is pretty good. He comes across well and I think the players will relate to him. Now over to the sporting directors to sign those 3 or 4 players needed to complete the jigsaw.
27 May 2024 18:55:21
Love the optimism G8 and will try to get on message but as am sure you know Leicester were bookies favourites to bounce straight back up to the EPL. But would love to. know more about his contribution at City if you or anyone else know more about this.
27 May 2024 20:47:34
I'm with you G8, I'm happy and look forward to the season starting, I will be giving him my full support, just hope the fans and board do.
Also being bookies favourite with Leicester adds more pressure and doesn't necessarily mean promotion.
27 May 2024 21:58:00
Apparently we are offering a 5 year contract so it seems we are prepared to have him for the long run.
28 May 2024 09:59:58
I would have preferred Amorim to Maresca from the available options since we have seen him deliver in the top levels of European football but it's splitting hairs really. We know he wasn't the first choice, and I think he is less of a risk than De Zerbi or McKenna are.
Without wanting to go too deep into the jargon, I think Maresca can maintain the floor of this team but I question to what extent he has shown an ability to raise the ceiling. Leicester had virtually won the title by Xmas but their relative collapse in the second half of the season is concerning. They won 20/ 26 prior to 2024, then only 11 of 20 this year. Whether it was a lack of fitness, focus, being found out or a combination of the three it isn't a good look. It should be noted that Leicester largely kept a squad together that was considered far too good to go down so they really should have walked the league.
I will obviously reserve judgement until we've seen some games next season, but my fear is that the pretty basic circuits to play out from the back that have been successful in the Championship are easily nullified by Premiership teams. Bear in mind that until Disasi's horrific error, Leicester were unable to lay a glove on Chelsea this season and we routinely won the ball high up the pitch when their passing sequences were interrupted with basic pressing concepts.
I just wish there had been a way to find common ground with Poch, because I struggle to see how Maresca represents an improvement in the here and now.
28 May 2024 11:17:22
A very logical posting RBD. Maresca cannot have been appointed on the basis of bringing favoutrites Leicester back up. There is little else to go on in terms of a managerial career and he was not exactly a household name as a footbal player of stature himself. So I can only presume he has been appointed because of his assistant stint under Pep at City, his season with their elite development squad there, and fact that at least Cole Palmer will know him and hipefully like him.
But this move by the 'structure' at CFC has to be quite a gamble. Jury has to be out for a while yet on whether this can translate into head coaching success at CFC, or swiftly so as we surely need it to be after TT, GP, FL, and especially Poch - who seemed to have set us in right direction at last - costly comings and goings (and now with pay out for Poch plus for Maresca: bang goes the Conference league money or more) . No patience with GP or Poch, perhaps there will be now, but for how long.
So I have to hope - even if not confidently expectant - and have already posted to this effect. No choice but to hope as loyal CFC supporter. Perhaps Maresca will prove to be a coaching genius, wins the dressing room round to believing in him, through bad times as well as good, and is secure in job and can bring some stability to us if demonstrably moving in right direction.
But how much time can CFC hierarchy reckon they can afford now given false starts altready? Getting Top 4 this coming season surely almost essential, not just for financial reasons but possibly also for retaining our best players or, if on long contracts, retaining their belief in the 'project'.
So hard right now even for a liofetime loyal CFC supporter not to a tad apprehensive.
{Ed002's Note - Maresca will be appointed because the first choice was not available and he was determined to be the most suitable of other coaches considered.}
28 May 2024 12:44:18
Good points JBS, but bear in mind that Maresca is the second appointment by the current set-up, as Potter pre-dated it and Lamps was only an interim appointment.
Given the first choice wasn't available (not sure who this was, Hoeness at Stuttgart perhaps? ) there is a lot riding on this appointment. Certainly, over the course of last season they came to the conclusion that they got it wrong with Poch, can they afford for this to happen again?
I am quietly confident of a top-4 finish next season, as long as the injury issues revert back to the mean and the head coaching isn't a total disaster. This will buy everyone time, but as said above, I don't know enough about Maresca to say with any confidence that he will be the person to push us beyond that. He seems like a safe pair of hands - but isn't that what Poch was?
Regardless, we need to back him and the team so fingers crossed it works out.
28 May 2024 13:01:34
So Poch now clear favourite to be next United manager. Presumably their 'structure' would/ will suit him better than ours. My nervousness about CFC gamble in parting ways with Poch and appointing a relative novice in his place increases. Will try to remain hopeful despite this. Though if I can't I may have to lay off thinking about football for a while!
28 May 2024 12:12:52
Thanks for the clarifying note Ed002. Will understand of course if you do not want to reveal who the first choice. Maresca now appointed anyway.
28 May 2024 14:01:15
Agree with your latest post RBD.
29 May 2024 22:43:47
Doesn’t marcheca play pretty much the same football as poch. Recycling passing.